Mitchell named new president of West Palm commission

If you enjoy confrontations between Mayor Lois Frankel and her chief critic, Commissioner Kimberly Mitchell, it could get even more heated at the next commission meeting when Mitchell moves two seats left and lands next to Frankel.

At today’s swearing-in ceremony, Mitchell was unanimously voted as the commission president. It’s a largely ceremonial position, although Mitchell would become mayor if Frankel were to leave office for any reason.

The commission president presides over commission meetings, and can also sign official documents if the mayor is vacationing or away on business. The president is also the chair of the audit committee.

The presidency rotates from year to year, and Mitchell served in 2005. She was in line to become commission president again this past year, but Commissioner Molly Douglas wound up with the title after Mitchell’s seniority disappeared when she was off the commission for several months due to a technicality involving filing papers in a commission race.